'The Office' star B.J. Novak signs seven-figure book deal

The Office star B.J. Novak has landed a two-book deal with publisher Alfred A. Knopf, as was announced yesterday. The first book will be a collection of stories, which Novak’s agent Richard Abate says is analogous to Woody Alan, and is scheduled to be released in 2014. With nine publishers bidding on the proposal, the final deal leaves Novak with a seven-figure advance. Not too shabby, eh?

The inspiration for his first book comes from a series of live shows that Novak performed at Upright Citizens Brigade. It sounds like the book will be a type of comedy memoir, which has been popular in the past few years with female comedians like Tina Fey, Lena Dunham and Amy Poehler to name a few.

Novak’ agent, Abate, seems to have a knack for representing successful comedians-turned-writers. Some of Abate’s other clients include well-known stars Tina Fey (Bossypants), Tracy Morgan (I am the New Black) and Novak’s Office co-star and previous girlfriend Mindy Kaling (Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?).

Novak comes from a family of writers, his father William Novak being a well-known and respected ghostwriter and collaborator, and he has previously exercised his writing muscle by penning episodes for The Office.

Last night I finished re-reading Alfred Deblin's impressionist masterpiece 'Berlin Alexanderplatz' (highly recommended), and today I started James Joyce's stream of consciousness insanity 'Ulysses' (how much of a snob can I be? (rhetorical: answer is "a lot!")), but once I'm done that... .... Probably not. *** Can't he just outline the book through comedy sketches? Who reads anymore, anyway. Literacy is for the [awkward, nonsequitur end of sentence]